Kingsman: The Golden Circle - The spoof movie is back with a BANG

BACK WITH A BANG: Kingsman: The Golden Circle will be screened at cinemas this week

Kingsman: The Golden Circle hits cinemas this week, the sequel to the hit 2015 original which made a whopping £300million at the box office.

And after last night's UK premiere, fans can't wait to see the return of secret agent Eggsy - plus a new all-star cast of Hollywood A-listers - in the spy comedy which makes 007 look tame.

Nadine Linge brings you all you need to know about the new film.

What happened in the original?

THE original, Kingsman: The Secret Service, was based on a graphic novel by Mark Millar who wanted to create a hero that shattered the posh James Bond mould.

That came in the form of Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, a lad brought up on a council estate in Peckham, south London.

Mark says: "I grew up on a housing estate, and the reason I really wanted to create Eggsy is because I was seeing so many demonised estate characters."

Eggsy, played by Taron Egerton, is recruited by an upper-class network of spies and goes through gruelling training to become one of their number.

He joins a mission to tackle a global threat from Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), a wealthy megalomaniac, whom he defeats. But before he can do so, his mentor Harry Hart (Colin Firth) is shot in the head and killed.

Fans loved it for being funny and cheeky, superstylised and turning the James Bond genre on its head - with some of the sharpest suits ever seen on screen.

But it was also criticised for being too brutal, with exploding heads, shootings and stabbings.

After the villainous organisation The Golden Circle destroys their headquarters, the Kingsmen head across The Pond after discovering an American version of their group.

They must work with US counterparts the Statesmen and conquer their differences to defeat a dangerous new threat.

Comedy comes from the very British Kingsmen versus the very American Statesmen - but there will be plenty of graphic action, stunts and explosions.

And hero Eggsy must also go on an emotional journey surprises are thrown his way.

Twentieth Century Fox FIlm Corp

RETURN: Eggsy (Taron Egerton) with his trainer Merlin (Mark Strong)

Who stars in the new film?

Tareon Egerton - most recently seen in Sing and as Eddie The Eagle last year - reprises his role as Eggsy, this time sporting a dapper orange tuxedo.

And Mark Strong is back as Merlin, Eggsy's trainer and tech support.

Despite being killed off in the last film, Colin Firth is back as Harry Hart, with his newlyacquired eye patch suggesting his peepers took the brunt of the gunshot last time.

Joining the cast as members of the American version of the Kingsmen - the Statesmen - is Channing Tatum as Tequila, a cowboy-hatwearing, whiskey drinking Southern boy.

Twentieth Century Fox Film

NEW: Poppy Delevingne and Pedro Pascal also star in the new sequel

But he has incredible physical skill, easily taking out Merlin and Eggsy when they meet. Halle Berry plays Ginger Ale, the woman who provides tech knowledge for the Statesmen. Pedro Pascal is Statesman agent Jack Daniels/Whiskey, while Jeff Bridges is their big boss Champagne.